📅 holiday

Peniamina Gospel Day

Monday, October 26, 2026

— days to go

In Niue, the adoption of Christianity by the nation as a whole is celebrated during the public holiday called Peniamina Gospel Day. In 2026, Peniamina Gospel Day falls on Monday 26 October. The holiday will be on Monday 25 October in 2027. The first Christian missionary to visit and work in Niue was John Williams. Williams was sent out by the London Missionary Society, arrived in Niue in 1830, and amazingly kidnapped two native children that he might teach them and convert them. These two were rejected by the islanders, however, when they tried to return to their former life and convert others. One of the two children, Niumaga, fled to Samoa. His friend Peniamina tagged along. In Samoa, Peniamina converted to Christianity under the ministry of George Turner. He also learned reading and writing skills. Finally, Peniamina came back home to Niue on 26 October, 1846 and started preaching to the people. Many people converted, and today, Niue is overwhelmingly Christian. Although the date of Peniamina’s return was 26 October, the holiday is celebrated on the fourth Monday of October to approximate the historical date while also creating a three-day weekend. Many churches will hold special services and events to remember Peniamina Gospel Day.

History

The first Christian missionary to visit and work in Niue was John Williams. Finally, Peniamina came back home to Niue on 26 October, 1846 and started preaching to the people. Many churches will hold special services and events to remember Peniamina Gospel Day

How It's Celebrated

In Niue, the adoption of Christianity by the nation as a whole is celebrated during the public holiday called Peniamina Gospel Day. The holiday will be on Monday 25 October in 2027. Although the date of Peniamina’s return was 26 October, the holiday is celebrated on the fourth Monday of October to a

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📅 holiday Feb 10

Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck

The Feast of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck is a holiday unique to Malta because it was on Malta that the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked around the year A.D. 60. In 2027, Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck falls on Wednesday 10 February. The holiday will be on Thursday 10 February in 2028. The feast is kept on February 10th each year, and as Paul is the patron saint of Malta, it is a much-anticipated event. Out of dozens of “saint days” on the church calendar in Malta, the Feast of Saint Paul is one of only a handful that have the status of a national holiday. The account of Paul’s shipwreck and three-month, wintertime stay on Malta is found in the Bible’s Acts 27:27 through 28:11. He was being taken to Rome as a prisoner to eventually stand trial before Caesar. God let him know in advance he would be shipwrecked but would spare the lives of all on board, which promise was later kept and in answer to Paul’s prayers for their lives. The Bible says the storm was in the Adriatic Sea, though Malta borders the Ionian Sea, because in ancient times, the Adriatic’s boundaries were considered to extend much farther south. The ship broke up on the rocks near the shores of Malta, and all swam ashore. The local population greeted them, but thought he might be a murderer whom the “goddess of justice” had finally caught up with after he was bitten by a poisonous snake. After he lived, however, they supposed him to be, perhaps, a god. Paul, however, soon showed them it was God’s power at work in a mere man by healing the governor of the island, Publius, and many others who were sick or disabled among the island’s population. No doubt, Paul preached the Gospel to them as well, and when he left Malta, the inhabitants gave him all necessary supplies out of gratitude. The Feast of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck is kept at the “Parish Church of Saint Paul Shipwrecked” in Malta’s capital city of Valletta. It is also a day of processions and family get-togethers. Three things to do should you visit Malta, though hopefully not be shipwrecked there, on February 10th are:

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📅 holiday Mar 19

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Every 19 March is celebrated as Saint Joseph’s Day in Roman Catholic cantons of the Swiss Confederation. In 2027, St Joseph's Day falls on Friday 19 March. The holiday will be on Sunday 19 March in 2028. However, in recent years, people have paid it less and less mind, and many local businesses in these regions don’t even close on Saint Joseph’s Day like they used to. Interestingly, there are two different religious feast days dedicated to Joseph in Roman Catholicism. Saint Joseph’s Day focuses on his role as the husband of Mary and “step father” of the child Jesus. But on 1 May, Saint Joseph the Worker day focuses on his role as the patron saint of all carpenters. There aren’t many events in areas of Switzerland celebrating Saint Joseph’s Day on 19 March. For those who have the day off, it is often spent relaxing, shopping or getting outdoors in the Spring weather.

CHESVA +1

📅 holiday Mar 30

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